This thanksgiving season, give the gift of yoga and mindfulness to our youth. Join us for these donation-based yoga classes. Proceeds from these classes will support RISE, helping us bring this transformational practice to more teens in the Bay Area.

“The teens we serve need us now, more than ever, to be beacons of light and hope in a dark and uncertain world. We can create the world we want to live in in each classroom, fostering a culture of respect, acceptance, and celebration of diversity. We can love them unconditionally for who they are. We we can hold a mirror for them, showing them their own goodness, worth, and their own power to be agents of positive change in this world. This is my hope in our work together as RISE teachers, and ultimately my hope for the future of our world. I have faith in our youth, and their light, and their ability to change our world.” -RISE Founder & Executive Director, Erin Lila Singh

Meet Kimberly Schick, one of our amazing RISE for Youth Outreach Team members! We are in the middle of our campaign to bring yoga to 1,000 more students in the Bay Area! Please join us and help us reach our goal by September 25th! http://igg.me/at/riseforyouth

Meet Jaedra DiGiammarino, one of our amazing RISE for Youth Outreach Team members! We are in the middle of our campaign to bring yoga to 1,000 more students in the Bay Area! Please join us and help us reach our goal by September 25th! http://igg.me/at/riseforyouth

1. Why do you do yoga?

I teach and practice Yoga because it is my honor to have been called upon to do so. Yoga study has improved my physical wellbeing as well as my mental state of mind. As a teacher my hope is to share these benefits with others.

1. When did you start doing yoga at George Washington High School? How long have you been doing yoga?

I started practicing yoga last year at George Washington High School, and I now practice yoga once or twice a week at home. I usually watch youtube yoga videos when I practice by myself. However, I am more motivated when I’m doing yoga in class than by myself.

2. What are some of the challenges of being a teen today? Do you feel that yoga helps with any of these challenges?

Academics and life in general are challenging as a teen. The world is competitive and the pressure of it all is present everyday. The quiet practice of yoga really helps me release tension created by these challenges.

I just wanted to introduce myself and thank you for sharing yoga with us! My name is Amy L. and I was recently a student and athlete of Ms. Corbett’s. I always knew she was incredibly active and an incredible runner but the best parts of practices were the closing stretches and core work! Little did I know, she was actually teaching us yoga. I remember looking forward to child’s pose everyday. As soon as I learned that Yoga had made it’s way as a class offered at Washington, I was more than excited to sign up.

At first, I thought it’d be easy coming in as a runner and basketball player. Little did I know how challenging but rewarding the rest of the year would be.

Meet Jai Singh, one of our amazing RISE for Youth Outreach Team members! We are in the middle of our campaign to bring yoga to 1,000 more students in the Bay Area! Please join us and help us reach our goal by September 25th! http://igg.me/at/riseforyouth

1. Why do you do yoga?

I practice yoga because it connects me with my breathing and my inner self, and helps me inhabit the present moment. It loosens and invigorates my body, helping me wake up in the morning and giving me perspective when I’m stuck in my head or feeling stressed.

2. Why do you think it is important to support RISE yoga for youth?

RISE offers teens a rare opportunity to step outside of our fast-paced, goal-oriented culture and find a place to slow down and connect with themselves and their bodies. Today’s teens face great levels of stress and RISE’s programming can help them find their feet. I wish I could have been exposed to yoga and mindfulness in school when I was a teen!